


The Fairy's Son

by CartoonJessie



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fix It Fic, Fix-It, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 22:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8685700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CartoonJessie/pseuds/CartoonJessie
Summary: [Enchanted Forest Fix-it Fic for 6x09] After seeing the way the Black Fairy treated her own son, Belle just can't sleep. She looks for the Fairy's son as he's spinning, realizing her judgement of him may have been too harsh.





	

Belle couldn’t sleep. Images of what had happened that evening kept on haunting her mind.

But as opposed to when she had been in the forest to see it all happen, she was no longer concerned with the baby now. The baby was safe and sound with his parents - and she had only just realized that Rumplestiltskin had never wanted to sacrifice the life of that innocent child – he had just meant to use the child as bait.

Stealing a child like that, even if only for a few hours, to put it at risk, was something she found hard to forgive, but in this moment she felt more upset with the Black Fairy than she did with Rumplestiltskin. That woman had nearly choked her own son, tossed him to the ground like he was nothing but dirt, sneered at him, laughed at him, ridiculed him… After all the trouble Rumplestiltskin had gone through to even speak to her, to get some answers, it was by far the cruelest thing she had witnessed in her lifetime – and since she had lived with Rumplestiltskin for over a month now, that was saying something.

Poor Rumplestiltskin… How had he even survived as a baby? Had they found another woman to nurse him after his mother had left him? Had they fed him cow’s milk or goat’s milk instead? How could children even survive without the love and affection of their mother? Was this in some way the reason why he had turned out so evil? And was he truly as evil as he claimed to be? These were all thoughts that she was unable to get out of her mind, even if she’d rather just sleep.

But even she realized that if she was so disturbed by this, then what was going through Rumplestiltskin’s mind had to be a million times worse. Rumor had it that he was centuries old – and from what she had seen, this had been his first encounter with his mother. Ever.

What hopes had he secretly had upon talking to her? Perhaps he had longed to see some sorrow in her eyes, but she had just laughed at him instead. What a horrible feeling that had to be.

She found herself getting up from her bed and looking for the blue negligee that she had to put over her white nightgown. She had never worn it before – but then again, she had never gone to look for Rumplestiltskin in the middle of the night. Besides, perhaps he wouldn’t even be in the castle and she’d have to return to bed straight away.

As she walked through the dark corridors of the castle, she figured that her best bet to find him would be in the great hall, at his spinning wheel. She found him there nearly every morning, and it seemed like he always spent his nighttime spinning, for sometimes he would be surprised to see her up. “Ah, morning already?” he’d say, and then he’d be up and gone, ready for another long day of making deals and making people miserable – or that was what Belle always figured he was up to anyways.

As she walked down the staircase on her bare feet, she saw that there was some light coming from the great hall, and as she entered it, she immediately saw him sitting by his spinning wheel, his back turned to her as he spun gold faster than she had ever seen him do before. His hands seemed nervous and agitated as they moved about, and judging on the massive amount of gold that lay besides him, he had been spinning since the moment she had gone to bed.

They hadn’t really talked that evening. She had returned the baby, and then she had hurried back to the Dark Castle. On the forest path, she had had the feeling that he had been around – watching her from the shadows – just to make sure she wouldn’t try to run away. And of course she would return to the castle – when she gave her word, she meant it, and she had agreed to go with him forever – not until the moment she saw an opportunity to run. She had been a little insulted that he had doubted her honor.

But once she had closed the large castle door behind her, the feeling that she was being watched had immediately disappeared, and as she had passed by the great hall and not found him there, she had gone straight to bed. Now she felt like she shouldn’t have. He needed someone to talk to. Or perhaps she was just projecting and she was the one that actually needed someone to talk to?

As she walked until she stood next to him, he suddenly startled so fiercely that he nearly fell off the little stool behind the spinning wheel, and she had never seen him look so terrified. Whatever thoughts had gone through his mind, it seemed like he had been miles - or rather centuries - away.

In an instinct she could not help but reach out for him, touching his shoulder as though it would stop him from falling – not that he actually had fallen, he had just moved away from her.

“Are you alright?” she asked, nothing but compassion in her tone, and he avoided her gaze the moment he realized he’d been staring at her. He had never seen her with her hair loose – or in her nightgown like that – and for a moment he had thought she was some sort of ghost. A silly thought, really. She was far too beautiful to be a ghost.

“Yes, yes!” he replied in a high tone, focusing on his spinning wheel again. “Just doing my nightly spinning!” Afraid to make the conversation about him, he quickly added: “What is it that my caretaker needs that cannot wait until morning?”

She knew that voice – or rather, she knew what it meant. The more playful he sounded, the less he wanted to talk or bare his heart to her.

Or perhaps, though he would never admit it to her, the more he needed someone to bare his heart to.

She walked around the spinning wheel and sat down on the small stool that was attached to it, apparently baffling Rumplestiltskin as he followed her with his eyes, wondering what she was doing.

“I wanted to talk to you,” she finally said once she had sat down, and as she could see his confusion make way for annoyance, she reached out for his hand, and as she held it in hers, he seemed both surprised and terrified at the same time. “How are you holding up?”

As she asked that question, she immediately saw how he seemed both hurt and outraged that she dared to ask him such a thing, and his chest heaved from emotion as he tried to form a reply, unable to do just that.

It was in that moment that Belle realized just how socially incompetent he was at times – how difficult it was to talk to him when it was about himself.

“Let me rephrase,” she decided, casting her eyes down for a moment as she hoped it would calm him a little if she did not look at him. “I want to go first.”

She took a deep breath, looking at their joined hands as she was still holding his, realizing that his hand looked quite unnatural – with his dark nails and scaly skin – but it felt warm at the same time, and the sight calmed her for some reason.

“I wasn’t fair with you today. I thought… I actually thought… you were going to hurt this child... Yourself… Willingly…”

She felt his fingers twitch underneath hers for a moment.

His silence endured even now, and so she took another breath before she continued: “I’m so used to thinking of you as a beast… I forget you’re suffering too…”

As she gazed up at him again, she saw that those words had meant something to him. His gaze was calmer now – but sadder than any gaze she had ever seen in any man.

“I’m truly sorry if my words have hurt you today,” she apologized, not taking her eyes off his, and as he replied, his voice once more sounded lower than before – more like a man and less like an imp.

“You could never hurt me.”

Belle wasn’t entirely certain what he meant with that, and explained what she had meant: “Physically? No, I’m quite certain I couldn’t. Emotionally? I think that words and the meanings behind them hold the power to destroy someone. And what you received today – not just from me – was a severe beating. And I don’t think you deserved it.”

He was looking away again, his head slightly shaking as he looked at their hands, unable or perhaps unwilling to pull his away from hers.

His silence meant more to her than any words could have in that moment. He was listening to her – perhaps even processing his pain.

“I wouldn’t have hurt the baby,” he suddenly said, his voice rough, but honest.

“I know,” Belle said immediately, quickly adding: “I know _now_. I didn’t know earlier today. I misjudged you. And I apologize for that.”

“You shouldn’t apologize…” He dared to look up at her again, the pain in his eyes clearer with each moment he sat by her side. “No one ever apologizes for anything, not to me.”

At this, Belle immediately knew what he was referring too, and the anger she felt herself towards his mother reeled up again. “Your mother should have apologized,” Belle said firmly, her gaze almost angry, though that anger wasn’t directed at Rumplestiltskin. “She left you as a baby! Never came back for you, even if she had all the time in the world, being a fairy! I can’t even imagine the pain you must feel from that!”

“Consider yourself lucky,” he said softly, his gaze cast down as he avoided hers, though he had to admit that it felt good to hear someone confirm that his hateful thoughts weren’t just the Dark One’s. If Belle felt this anger too, then perhaps that justified his own disappointment and rage about what that woman had done.

“I do consider myself lucky,” Belle said in a softer tone. “My mother was an amazing woman whom I miss every day. What I wouldn’t give to have one more day with her… But right now, I’d rather have her spend a day with you – just so you could feel her love.”

Rumplestiltskin frowned as he looked up at Belle, a little amused by that idea. “But I’m not her son,” he said weakly.

“She could still treat you as one!” Belle argued passionately. “You would feel true love then, like I always did when she was alive.” There were small tears in her eyes, but those did not stop her, and a smile came to her face. “She used to read to me every night… And she dressed me up and did my hair…”

“I wouldn’t want her to do my hair,” Rumplestiltskin said, a small twinkle in his eyes as he was quite amused by his little caretaker’s story, and Belle smiled suddenly.

“She always told me that if she had a son, she’d practice sword fighting with him. My mom actually knew how to handle a sword. Unlike me... She never taught me, something I will probably always regret, but…” She suddenly started grinning. “She would have spoiled you rotten. We’d bake treats for the entire castle staff on Sundays. Cakes and muffins and cookies and puddings and all sorts of delicious sweets. And she’d let me stay up longer than usual on Saturdays.”

Rumplestiltskin was truly happy for her – that she had such warm memories – but he had nothing of the sort. Remembering his own childhood, he suddenly said: “My father always let me stay up as long as I wanted to. Not just on Saturdays.” His voice sounded rough as he added: “He didn’t care whether I slept or not.”

Belle’s heart broke a little bit more for him, saddened by that revelation.

“My father didn’t want me either,” he added – though it hadn’t been necessary. Belle had understood everything from his expression already.

“I’d lend my father to you,” Belle said seriously, though there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “But to be honest, I don’t think he likes you all that much.”

Rumplestiltskin grinned at that, quite amused by her quip. “Can’t really say I expected differently after I sort of stole his daughter away from him.”

Belle smiled, though she looked a little strict as she corrected him: “You didn’t steal me. We made a deal. I could have said no.”

“I didn’t leave you much of an alternative,” he admitted honestly, for a moment looking down, almost as though he felt guilty for it.

She gently rubbed his hand, and at this gesture he looked up again, surprised to see her smile at him.

“Rumple, if there had been no war, and you had come to my castle to ask me to come with you, I probably would have.”

He couldn’t believe that and frowned as he looked at her, his gaze suspicious.

Belle rolled her eyes as she noticed that. “Well… Maybe not immediately – and maybe not until you had explained the situation to me.”

“What situation?” he asked, still sounding wary.

“That you’re lonely,” Belle said simply. “That you have all these things and this beautiful castle but no one who talks to you or who listens when you talk about your day… No one to ever surprise you with a cup of tea…” She smiled and continued cheerfully: “And you should have just told me you had a big library, I would have come along straight away.”

He smiled at that, imagining that she would indeed have joined him if he had just told her she’d be free to read all the books in his library. And she was right – about everything. He _was_ lonely. And her presence did soothe him in some ways, though she had hurt him too that day.

His gaze saddened as he said: “Your instinct is still to distrust me though… and who can blame you? I am the Dark One, after all.”

He had a point, and Belle remained quiet, knowing she indeed had a tendency to think the worst of him before she saw the best.

“And you’re very self-righteous,” he suddenly continued, wanting to get that off his chest. “To the point where it’s incredibly annoying.”

Belle raised an eyebrow. “You’re annoyed because I’m a good person?”

Rumplestiltskin frowned, realizing she still didn’t get it. “No! It’s not about being good or not – self-righteous – even when you’re wrong, you think you’re right!”

She wasn’t sure where those remarks were coming from, but she decided to humor him. “Oh?”

“Like tonight, with the baby… The baby was safe enough, but you had to meddle and take him while the Dark Fairy was standing there! She could have killed you!”

“She didn’t kill me!” Belle argued. “She didn’t even raise a finger to me!”

Rumplestiltskin was angry though, pulling his hand from hers, pointing his finger at her.

“She could have! And you didn’t stop to think for one second if what you were doing was the right thing at all! You just burst in there without a thought! And even now you won’t admit that it was stupid!”

She shook her head at him. “Was I supposed to let the baby lay there, completely defenseless?”

“I was there!” he argued, raising his voice. “I was his defense!”

Belle kept quiet at that, realizing that she had not considered it as such, but not sure what she could say to that.

“And earlier today, when I said I didn’t know the baby’s name to avoid attachments – you immediately thought I was going to kill that child! I saw it in your eyes!”

“You said you didn’t want to get attached to it!” Belle defended herself, raising her voice too.

“Yes because I was going to bring it back to its parents!”

That last admission felt like a slap to the face for Belle. He hadn’t even dared to get close to a child for a few hours, out of fear he would not have liked to part with it later on when he returned it to its parents? The pity she felt in that moment was difficult to hide, and she had tears in her eyes.

To Rumplestiltskin, it seemed unreal. She was still sitting opposite him, tears in her eyes – not for herself, or for a child, or for another one of his victims, but for _him_. He had never known anyone as compassionate in his long lifetime.

“Why don’t you ever tell me those things?” Belle wondered sadly. “Why do you always let me believe you’re the beast?”

“Because I am,” he replied honestly. “No one can love me. It’s part of my curse, I suppose.”

In that moment, Belle felt a small voice within urge her to try. _Love him._ She tried to push the voice away, but it was too strong. _Love him._

Perhaps she could try…

She reached out for his hand again, not knowing where she got it precisely as she said: “My mother would have loved you, I’m sure of it.”

He wasn’t entirely certain if that was the truth, but he appreciated the gesture and smiled as he said: “If she had been alive, I would have traded your kingdom’s safety for her. I must say that I’m quite intrigued by the idea of treats on Sundays and staying up late on Saturdays.”

She chuckled. “You know… I could make you treats on Sunday too… And I’d let you stay up on Saturdays and send you early to bed on all other days. I could do that. I will do that.”

Pleasantly surprised by that, he shook his head in disbelief, and as Belle was getting rather quiet now, she got up from her seat.

“Who knows…” she added gently. “I might even learn to love you.”

Rumplestiltskin was a little shocked by that admission – so shocked, in fact, that he sat there, completely numb as she pressed a goodnight kiss to his forehead.

“Sleep well, Rumple…”

The kiss had numbed him completely, and he forgot to speak. He had even forgotten that he didn’t ever sleep – and too dumbstruck to correct her, he eventually said: “Sleep well, Belle…”

He gazed at her as she left the room – just as quietly as she had entered – still looking a bit like a ghost and a bit like a goddess.

His mind was screaming that it was a horrible idea for anyone to love him and that he should not want this from Belle – but his heart was jumping for joy.

Could she be the first to learn to love him? Even if he wasn’t worthy of anyone as kind-natured as her? He hoped with all his heart that she succeeded in doing the impossible. He hoped that he would not mess it up before it came to be.

He simply loved the idea of being loved by her.  


End file.
